The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and do not constitute prior art.
Recently, communication services based on a plurality of mobile communication networks, such as WCDMA, CDMA, WiBro, and LTE (Long Term Evolution), have been provided. In addition, communication services based on a WLAN (WiFi) network that is a near field communication network have been provided.
Even in a multi-network environment in which several networks coexist as described above, it is known to transmit data through one selected from the multiple networks.
According to this known method, however, in case where transmitting or receiving large-capacity data, the inventor(s) has noted that the load factor of the one selected network is abruptly increased to limit smooth providing of the data service. In an environment where various wireless devices, such as smart phones and tablet PCs, are increasing and various large-capacity data services with respect to such wireless devices are also increasing, the inventor(s) has experienced that the above-described known method is improper.
In order to provide a smooth data service in a multi-network environment, the inventor(s) has noted that a simultaneous data transmission service, in which a transmitting device divides one piece of data into several pieces of partial data and simultaneously transmits the divided partial data to a receiving device through two or more networks of multiple networks, has been proposed.
On the other hand, in order to efficiently operate such a simultaneous data transmission service, the inventor(s) has experienced a need for schemes for promptly determining whether to continuously wait for reception of non-received partial data, which indicate data that the receiving device fails to be received among the partial data transmitted from the transmitting device to the receiving device, or to determine that the non-received data are lost during transmission and then request retransmission of the non-received data.